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(No Model.)

A. R. LEEDS. AUTOMATIG BELIEF VALVE IN WATER SUPPLY PIPES.

No. 321091'. U Patented Sept.'29, 1885.

W/T/VESSES /VVE/VTOH UNIT D STATES PATENTT OFFICE, i

ALBERT R. LEEDS, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY( AuTo ATc RELIEF-VALVE IN WATER-SUPPLY PIPES.

f SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 327,091, dated September 29, 1885.

Application filed February 27, 1885.

TO all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT' R. LEEDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Relief- Valves in VVater-Supply Pipes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The presentinvention relates to an im provement in apparatus for the purification of water by means of oxygen forced into solution therewith; and it consists more especially in means for allowing the escape of viti-ated gases from the conveying-pipes, and also for relieving eXcess of pressure, whether of the air, gas, or water, whenever the same reaches a point liable to cause injury to the pipes.

The object of my system being to cause the absorption by a column of Water of a large quantity of oxygen from air forced into the column of water, I do not of course propose to permit the escape of aeriform fluid from the conveying-pipes until the air and water have traveled far enough to effect the solution of all the oxygen practicable under the desired conditions, which are usually such as existin the main conveying-pipes,used to carry water froni the source of supply or from the point of greatest pressure to the distributing-pi pes of a city.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating theoretical apparatus enibodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail Views showing the Construction of the automatic valves.

Y represents the sumnit of one of the undulations formed by following the surface of the country through which the conveying-pipe passes, and which are the only points at which gases accunulate to any great extent. For the sake of illustration I have only shown one such point, as in practice the minor curvatures may be entirely disregarded.

The pipe P is supplied with water under pressure froni any suitable source of supply. The pipe V supplies air under pressure, and is provided with suitable check-valve or cockm.

At the point Y, which, as before stated,`

should be far enough from the pumping-station (No mcdcl.)

to allow all the practicable mixing to take place, I insert a combination-valve, constructed substantially as follows:

W is an automatic valve,which consists of a cylindrical chanber communicating with the i through spaces f, existing between the projecting ribs and the body ofthefioat. The fioat F is provided with a rod ter'minatiug in a conical head, which fits into a proper valve-seat. (Represented at S.) Another rod, with similar conical head and valve-seat, is shown at U, this head being forced down into its valve-seat by means of a spiral spring, T, the tension of which` is regulated by means of the nut N, passing through the dome or top of the chamber H. Openings O are made in this dome for the escape of air.

The operation of these valves is as follows: The valve U being closed by the pressure eX- erted through the spiral, all air which passes through the spaces left between the proj ecting ribs and the float F is confined within the chamber until its pressure is great enough to raise the valve U, and so make its escape. The water which follows it then raises the float F and closes the valve S, thus preventing the escape of water. Then a new supply ot' air accumulates, it drives the water back until it is no longer able to support the fioat F, which then drops and opens the valve S. Instead of the spiral T, Weighis may be used to obtain the required amount of pressure upon the valve U.

Instead of the contrivance above described, a mercury-valve, as represented in drawings, may be employed. This valve communicates, by means of the pipe A with the interior of the main water-conveying pipe. The pipe A' communicates with the chamber M, and this chamber with a pipe, B, closed at its upper end. Through the top of the chamber M a pipe, D, passes for the escape of air, this pipe being capable of being raised and lowered by the screw and nut at N'. Theair-pipe D terminates below in a bell-shaped opening With a conical slit in its periphery K. Into thi ell shaped opening there firs a conical rubher fioat. F'. i

The operation of the valve is as follows: Mercury is poured into the chamher M until it rises above the conin-al slit in the bell K, filling' at the same time a portion of the tube B. Tlen,as eXcess of air entersinto the chambers M,it first drives the *mercury up into the bell K until the fioat F rises and closes the opening into the pipe D. Then, as the pressure increases,the mercury is depressed in the chamber M and raised in the pipe B until its level falls below the top of the slitin K, when the air enters the bell, allows the fioat F' to fall, and makes its escape through D. The bell K and the pipe D are so adjusted that the air makes its escape at a certain pressure; but the water is prevented from escape at thelower pressure incident upon the escape of the eXcess of air.

It will be obvious that many forms of valve can be adapted to produce the herein-dcseribed effect without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I also contemplate using simple loaded valves of the nature of the wellknown "safetywalve" in many places where it is desirable to provide for the safety of the pipe without allowing the escape of air.

I sometimes desire to introduce a second charge of air into the pipe Qata point 'emote from the first pumping-station, andin order to accomplish this it is desirable to allow the escape of all gases in the water at that point,

substantially as set forth.

2. The combinatiomwith a water-pipe or the like having controlled eonnections, a water-supply under pressure, and an airsupply also under pressure, of a series of blowoffs adapted to allow the escape of gases only; and at a pressure exceeding that of the atmosphere, and an additional valve loaded te resist a certain pressure and adapted to allow the escape of water and connected with the inlerior of such pipes, Whereby the water is retained within the pipes at the desired pressure, and the vitiated air and gases are automatically carried off, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I hereto affix ny signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT R. LEEDS.

Witnesses:

RUD. BEOHERT. WILHELM KARLE. 

